The Complete Poetry of John Milton (66 page)

   345     
Some easier enterprize? There is a place

               
(If ancient and prophetic fame in Heav’n

               
Err not) another World, the happy seat

               
Of som new Race call’d
Man
, about this time

               
To be created like to us, though less

   350     
In power and excellence, but favour’d more

               
Of him who rules above; so was his will

               
Pronounc’d among the Gods, and by an Oath,

               
That shook Heav’ns whole circumference, confirm’d.

               
Thither let us bend all our thoughts, to learn

   355     
What creatures there inhabit, of what mould,

               
Or substance, how endu’d, and what thir Power,

               
And where thir weakness, how attempted best,

               
By force or suttlety: Though Heav’n be shut,

               
And Heav’ns high Arbitrator sit secure

   360     
In his own strength, this place may lye expos’d

               
The utmost border of his Kingdom, left

               
To their defence who hold it: here perhaps

               
Som advantagious act may be achiev’d

               
By sudden onset, either with Hell fire

   365     
To waste his whole Creation, or possess

               
All as our own, and drive as we were driv’n,

               
The punie
¹¹
habitants, or if not drive,

               
Seduce them to our Party, that thir God

               
May prove thir foe, and with repenting hand

   370     
Abolish his own works. This would surpass

               
Common revenge, and interrupt his joy

               
In our Confusion, and our Joy upraise

               
In his disturbance; when his darling Sons

               
Hurl’d headlong to partake with us, shall curse

   375     
Thir frail Originals,
¹²
and faded bliss,

               
Faded so soon. Advise if this be worth

               
Attempting, or to sit in darkness here

               
Hatching vain Empires.
¹³
Thus
Beëlzebub

               
Pleaded his devilish Counsel, first devis’d

   380     
By
Satan
, and in part propos’d:
¹⁴
for whence,

               
But from the Author of all ill could Spring

               
So deep a malice, to confound the race

               
Of mankind in one root, and Earth with Hell

               
To mingle and involve, done all to spite

   385     
The great Creatour? But thir spite still serves

               
His glory to augment. The bold design

               
Pleas’d highly those infernal States, and joy

               
Sparkl’d in all thir eyes; with full assent

               
They vote: whereat his speech he thus renews.

   390  
      
       Well have ye judg’d, well ended long debate,

               
Synod of Gods, and like to what ye are,

               
Great things resolv’d, which from the lowest deep

               
Will once more lift us up, in spight of Fate,

               
Neerer our ancient Seat; perhaps in view

   395     
Of those bright confines, whence with neighbouring Arms

               
And opportune excursion we may chance

               
Re-enter Heav’n; or else in some mild Zone

               
Dwell not unvisited of Heav’ns fair Light

               
Secure, and at the brightning Orient beam

   400     
Purge off this gloom; the soft delicious Air,

               
To heal the scarr of these corrosive Fires

               
Shall breath her balm. But first whom shall we send

               
In search of this new world, whom shall we find

               
Sufficient? who shall tempt
¹⁵
with wandring feet

   405     
The dark unbottom’d infinite Abyss

               
And through the palpable obscure find out

               
His uncouth
¹⁶
way, or spread his aerie flight

               
Upborn with indefatigable wings

               
Over the vast abrupt, ere he arrive

   410     
The happy Ile; what strength, what art can then

               
Suffice, or what evasion bear him safe

               
Through the strict Senteries and Stations thick

               
Of Angels watching round? Here he had need

               
All circumspection, and we now no less

   415     
Choice in our suffrage; for on whom we send,

               
The weight of all and our last hope relies.

           
      
       This said, he sat; and expectation held

               
His look suspence, awaiting who appeer’d

               
To second, or oppose, or undertake

   420     
The perilous attempt: but all sat mute,

               
Pondering the danger with deep thoughts; and each

               
In others count’nance read his own dismay

               
Astonisht: none among the choice and prime

               
Of those Heav’n-warring Champions could be found

   425     
So hardie as to proffer or accept

               
Alone the dreadful voyage; till at last

               
Satan
, whom now transcendent glory rais’d

               
Above his fellows, with Monarchal pride

               
Conscious of highest worth, unmov’d thus spake.

   430  
      
       O Progeny of Heav’n, Empyreal Thrones,

               
With reason hath deep silence and demurr

               
Seis’d us, though undismaid: long is the way

               
And hard, that out of Hell leads up to light;

               
Our prison strong, this huge convex of Fire,

   435     
Outrageous to devour, immures us round

               
Ninefold, and gates of burning Adamant

               
Barr’d over us prohibit all egress.

               
These past, if any pass, the void profound

               
Of unessential
¹⁷
Night receives him next

   440     
Wide gaping, and with utter loss of being

               
Threatens him, plung’d in that abortive gulf.

               
If thence he scape into whatever world,

               
Or unknown Region, what remains him less

               
Then unknown dangers and as hard escape.

   445     
But I should ill become this Throne, O Peers,

               
And this Imperial Sov’ranty, adorn’d

               
With splendor, arm’d with power, if aught propos’d

               
And judg’d of public moment, in the shape

               
Of difficulty or danger could deterr

   450     
Mee from attempting. Wherefore do I assume

               
These Royalties, and not refuse to Reign,

               
Refusing to accept as great a share

               
Of hazard as of honour, due alike

               
To him who Reigns, and so much to him due

   455     
Of hazard more, as he above the rest

               
High honourd sits? Go therfore mighty Powers,

               
Terror of Heav’n, though fall’n; intend
¹⁸
at home,

               
While here shall be our home, what best may ease

               
The present misery, and render Hell

   460     
More tollerable; if there be cure or charm

               
To respite or deceive, or slack the pain

               
Of this ill Mansion: intermit no watch

               
Against a wakeful Foe, while I abroad

               
Through all the coasts of dark destruction seek

   465     
Deliverance for us all: this enterprise

               
None shall partake with me. Thus saying rose

               
The Monarch, and prevented all reply,

               
Prudent, least from his resolution rais’d

               
Others among the chief might offer now

   470     
(Certain to be refus’d) what erst they feard;

               
And so refus’d might in opinion stand

               
His rivals, winning cheap the high repute

               
Which he through hazard huge must earn. But they

               
Dreaded not more th’ adventure then his voice

   475     
Forbidding; and at once with him they rose;

               
Thir rising all at once was as the sound

               
Of Thunder heard remote. Towards him they bend

               
With awful reverence prone; and as a God

               
Extoll him equal to the highest in Heav’n:

   480     
Nor fail’d they to express how much they prais’d,

               
That for the general safety he despis’d

               
His own: for neither do the Spirits damn’d

               
Loose all thir vertue; least bad men should boast

               
Thir specious deeds on earth, which glory excites,

   485     
Or close ambition varnisht o’re with zeal.

               
Thus they thir doubtful consultations dark

               
Ended rejoycing in thir matchless Chief:

               
As when from mountain tops the dusky clouds

               
Ascending, while the North wind sleeps, o’respread

   490     
Heav’ns chearful face, the lowring Element

               
Scowls ore the dark’n’d lantskip Snow, or showr;

               
If chance the radiant Sun with farewell sweet

               
Extend his ev’ning beam, the fields revive,

               
The birds thir notes renew, and bleating herds

   495     
Attest thir joy, that hill and valley rings.

               
O shame to men! Devil with Devil damn’d

               
Firm concord holds, men onely disagree

               
Of Creatures rational, though under hope

               
Of heav’nly Grace: and God proclaiming peace,

   500     
Yet live in hatred, enmity, and strife

               
Among themselves, and levie cruel warrs,

               
Wasting the Earth, each other to destroy:

               
As if (which might induce us to accord)

               
Man had not hellish foes anow besides,